Celtic manager wants to lift trophy

Spring Hall Celtic boss Arshad Mahmood is keen for his players to keep their feet on the ground after his side powered through to the semi-finals of the West Riding Trophy on Saturday.

Celtic won 4-1 after extra time away to Beeston St Anthony’s Reserves to earn a last four meeting with Huddersfield side Honley.

Morley Town will play Settle United in the other game and the prize for the winners is a place in the final at the county FA’s Woodlesford base in Leeds on Wednesday, April 23.

Halifax AFL Division Two side Celtic have won five games in the competition so far and while Mahmood is pleased with his side’s efforts, he is not getting carried away.

“We’ve done OK but you don’t get anything for getting to the semi-final,” he said.

“Having come this far we want to win it.”

Celtic were on the back foot during the first half and Mahmood said their hosts had been much the better team, giving them little chance to get their passing game flowing.

The Leeds side earned a string of free kicks and corners and although Celtic battled hard, with central defenders Micah Bleau and Nasir Asghar outstanding, Beeston deserved their 1-0 interval lead.

The visitors were much better after the break, boosted by a 47th minute equaliser from strike ace Terriq Pervez, who robbed a home defender from close to half way and ran 30 yards before slotting the ball to the keeper’s left.

Mahmood thought Celtic were slightly the better side in the second half and Zain Ahmed, Mohammed Ozair and Sameer Ahmed might have found a winner.

Hussain Farooq was sent on for the extra 30 minutes and made an instant impact, scoring from Pervez’s square pass with his first touch.

Farooq made it 3-1 from the penalty spot after a late challenge and another replacement, Jon Tindall, sealed victory with a late tap in after Beeston had left themselves open at the back.